《能言马与男孩》 第八章 太洛帝密室
第八章 太洛帝密室
"OH-my-father-and-oh-the-delight-of-my-eyes, " began the young man, muttering the words very quickly and sulkily and not at all as if the Tisroc were the delight of his eyes."May you live forever, but you have utterly destroyed me. If you had given me the swiftest of the galleys at sunrise when I first saw that the ship of the accursed barbarians was gone from her place I would perhaps have overtaken them. But you persuaded me to send first and see if they had not merely moved round the point into better anchorage . And now the whole day has been wasted. And they are gone-gone-out of my reach ! The false jade, the—"and here he added a great many descriptions of Queen Susan which would not look at all nice in print. For of course this young man was Prince Rabadash and of course the false jade was Susan of Narnia.
“噢……我的父亲……噢……我……眼中……的……快乐……”年轻人开始说话，非常快速地喃喃自语，闷闷不乐，一点都不像他自己说的太洛帝是他眼中的快乐那样。“愿你永在，但你已经完全将我摧毁掉了。如果你在日出的时候给我最快的帆船，当我最开始看到那些野蛮人开着船从她的地方离开，我就追出去的话，可能我现在已经追上他们了。但是你却劝我先去送他们，看看他们是否只是绕着海峡找一个更好的停泊地。现在整天都已经被浪费掉了。他们已经离开了……离开……离开我能够追上的地方了!那个虚假的女人，那……”然后他加了非常多描述语在苏珊女王的身上，如果全都印出来，就一点都不雅观了。当然，这个年轻的男人就是罗八达王子，那个虚假的女人就是纳尼亚的苏珊。
"Compose yourself, O my son," said the Tisroc. "For the departure of guests makes a wound that is easily healed in the heart of a judicious host."
“镇定下来，噢，我的儿子。”太洛帝说道，“因为客人的离去而造成的伤害，对于一个明智的主人的心理是很容易被治愈的。”
"But I want her," cried the Prince."I must have her. I shall die if I do not get her-false, proud, black-hearted daughter of a dog that she is ! I can not sleep and my food has no savour and my eyes are darkened because of her beauty. I must have the barbarian queen."
“但是我想得到她。”王子大声说道，“我必须拥有她。如果我得不到她我将会死掉。她是一个虚伪的，骄傲的，黑心肠的老狗的女儿。我无法入睡，我食不知味，因为她的魅力，我的眼睛都完全漆黑一片了。我必须得到那个野蛮人的女王。”
"How well it was said by a gifted poet," observed the Vizier, raising his face (in a somewhat dusty condition) from the carpet, "that deep draughts from the fountain of reason are desirable in order to extinguish the fire of youthful love."
“一个天才诗人说得多么好啊!”首相大人从地毯中抬起他的脸( 在一个布满了灰尘的环境下)，说道，“为了熄灭青春的爱情之火，从理智的泉水中痛饮几口是非常合理的。”
This seemed to exasperate the Prince."Dog," he shouted, directing a series of well-aimed kicks at the hindquarters of the Vizier,"do not dare to quote the poets to me.I have had maxims and verses flung at me all day and I can endure them no more."I am afraid Aravis did not feel at all sorry for the Vizier.
这段话好像激怒了王子。“狗奴才，”他大声喊道，一连几脚直接踹到首相大臣的屁股上去，“你竟然敢对我引证诗人的话责骂我。整天都有格言和诗句抛到我这里来，我已经再也忍受不了啦!我觉得，阿拉维斯一点都不会为首相感到难过。”
The Tisroc was apparently sunk in thought, but when, after a long pause,he noticed what was happening,he said tranquilly:
太洛帝明显已经陷入了思索，半晌之后，当他注意到正在发生什么事情的时候，他平静地说道：
"My son, by all means desist from kicking the venerable and enlightened Vizier: for as a costly jewel retains its value even if hidden in a dung-hill, so old age and discretion are to be respected even in the vile persons of our subjects. Desist therefore, and tell us what you desire and propose."
“我的儿子，无论如何，请不要再踢这位开明且年老的大臣了：正如珍贵的珠宝即使藏在粪堆之中也依然保有它的价值，所以年老和慎重，即使存在于我们微不足道的臣民身上，也应该是被尊敬的。因此停止吧，告诉我你的渴望和建议是什么。”
"I desire and propose,O my father," said Rabadash, "that you immediately call out your invincible armies and invade the thrice-accursed land of Narnia and waste it with fire and sword and add it to your illimitable empire,killing their High King and all of his blood except the queen Susan.For I must have her as my wife, though she shall learn a sharp lesson first."
“我的希望和建议是，噢，我的父亲，”罗八达说道，“你立即召集你的战无不胜的军队，侵入纳尼亚该死的领土上，用火和剑扫荡它，并且把它吞并到您无垠的帝国之中，杀掉他们的至尊王和除了苏珊女王之外的所有王族。因为我必须要她成为我的妻子，虽然她应该首先要受到一些严厉的教训。”
"Understand, O my son," said the Tisroc, "that no words you can speak will move me to open war against Narnia."
“明白了，噢，我的儿子，”太洛帝说道，“你的任何话都不能让我去和纳尼亚展开一场战争。”
"If you were not my father, O ever-living Tisroc,"said the Prince, grinding his teeth,.I should say that was the word of a coward."
“如果你不是我的父亲，噢，永生的太洛帝啊，”王子咬着牙说道，“我就会说你刚刚说的是懦夫所说的话。”
"And if you were not my son, O most inflammable Rabadash," replied his father,"your life would be short and your death slow when you had said it."(The cool, placid voice in which he spoke these words made Aravis' s blood run cold.)
“如果你不是我的儿子，最容易激动的罗八达，”他的父亲回应道，“你的生命将十分短暂，而且当你说这些的时候你会死得非常无助。”他说这些话的时候，语调冰冷、平静，让阿拉维斯觉得血液都变得冰冷了。
"But why, O my father,"said the Prince-this time in a much more respectful voice,.why should we think twice about punishing Narnia any more than about hanging an idle slave or sending a worn-out horse to be made into dog' smeat ? It is not the fourth size of one of your least provinces. A thousand spears could conquer it in five weeks. It is an unseemly blot on the skirts of your empire."
“但是为什么，噢，我的父亲，”王子说道，现在他的语调变得尊敬多了，“为什么关于惩罚纳尼亚的事情我们要考虑两次，比绞死一个游手好闲的奴隶或是发配筋疲力尽的老马去做狗的食物，要考虑得多呢?这个国家还不如你最小的省的四分之一。上千枝长矛可以不用五星期就征服它。它是你帝国边境上一个不相宜的印记。”
"Most undoubtedly,"said the Tisroc..These little barbarian countries that call themselves free (which is as much as to say, idle, disordered,and unprofitable) are hateful to the gods and to all persons of discernment."
“这毫无疑问，”太洛帝说道，“这些小小的野蛮人的国家自称他们自己是自由的( 这等于说是游手好闲，毫无秩序，并且没有任何利益的)，是对神灵和所有明智人的厌恶。”
"Then why have we suffered such a land as Narnia to remain thus long unsubdued ?"
“那么为什么我们要忍受纳尼亚这样一个国家的存在，而长期不去征服它呢?”
"Know, O enlightened Prince."said the Grand Vizier, "that until the year in which your exalted father began his salutary and unending reign,the land of Narnia was covered with ice and snow and was moreover ruled by a most powerful enchantress."
“要知道，噢，我开明的王子啊，”首相大臣说道，“在你高贵的父亲开始他有益且永恒的统治的那一年之前，纳尼亚的土地上覆盖着冰雪，而且被一个最强大的女巫统治着。”
"This I know very well, O loquacious Vizier,"answered the Prince..But I know also that the enchantress is dead. And the ice and snow have vanished,so that Narnia is now wholesome, fruitful,and delicious."
“这我非常清楚地知道，噢，多嘴的首相。”王子回答道，“但我也知道女巫已经死了。冰雪都已经消失了，所以纳尼亚如今遍布着水果，并且十分美味。”
"And this change, O most learned Prince, has doubtless been brought to pass by the powerful incantations of those wicked persons who now call themselves kings and queens of Narnia."
“这些变化，噢，最博学的王子啊，无疑是那些邪恶的人的强力咒语改变的，那些人现在称呼他们自己是纳尼亚的国王和女王呢。”
.I am rather of the opinion,"said Rabadash,.that it has come about by the alteration of the stars and the operation of natural causes."
“我宁可认为，”罗八达说道，“这种变化是因为星宿的改变和自然界的作用造就的。”
.All this,"said the Tisroc,.is a question for the disputations of learned men.I will never believe that so great an alteration, and the killing of the old enchantress,were effected without the aid of strong magic.And such things are to be expected in that land, which is chiefly inhabited by demons in the shape of beasts that talk like men, and monsters that are half man and half beast. It is commonly reported that the High King of Narnia (whom may the gods utterly reject) is supported by a demon of hideous aspect and irresistible maleficence who appears in the shape of a Lion. Therefore the attacking of Narnia is a dark and doubtful enterprise, and I am determined not to put my hand out farther than I can draw it back."
“这一切，”太洛帝说道，“是需要博学的人来讨论的问题。我永远也不相信，这么伟大的交替，还有老巫女的被杀，不是强大魔法的影响造成的。而且这些事情在那片土地上是有可能出现的，那里居住着恶魔，像人一样会说话的野兽，还有半人半兽的怪物。报告通常说，纳尼亚的至尊王( 希望神灵们都抛弃他) 是被一个恶魔支持的王，那个恶魔长得十分丑陋，不可抗拒，化身为狮子出现。因此，袭击纳尼亚是一个黑暗并且可疑的冒险行为，我决心不将自己的手伸到无法缩回来的地方。”
"How blessed is Calormen," said the Vizier, popping up his face again,.on whose ruler the gods have been pleased to bestow prudence and circumspection !Yet as the irrefutable and sapient Tisroc has said it is very grievous to be constrained to keep our hands off such a dainty dish as Narnia. Gifted was that poet who said-"but at this point Ahoshta noticed an impatient movement of the Prince' s toe and became suddenly silent.
“多么有福气的卡乐门人啊，”首相再次抬起他的脸说道，“神灵已经赐予了严谨和审慎的规则给他们!然而，如同无可反驳的，足智多谋的太洛帝所说的，面对纳尼亚这样的美餐却被迫不能下手，的确是十分令人痛惜的。天才诗人说过……”讲到这里的时候，阿霍什塔注意到王子脚趾不耐烦地移动，就突然安静了。
"It is very grievous,"said the Tisroc in his deep, quiet voice."Every morning the sun is darkened in my eyes, and every night my sleep is the less refreshing, because I remember that Narnia is still free."
“这是十分让人痛苦的，”太洛帝用他低沉且平静的声音说道，“每天早上太阳在我眼里都是黑色的，每天晚上我的睡眠总是不太痛快，因为我总是记得纳尼亚仍然是自由的。”
"O my father,"said Rabadash."How if I show you a way by which you can stretch out your arm to take Narnia and yet draw it back unharmed if the attempt prove unfortunate ?"
“噢，我的父亲，”罗八达说道，“如果我能给你展示一个办法，通过这个办法你可以将手伸到纳尼亚，万一那尝试是不幸的，还可以把手不受伤害地缩回来，怎么样?”
"If you can show me that, O Rabadash,""aid the Tisroc,"you will be the best of sons."
“如果你可以给我展示那样的方法，噢，罗八达，”太洛帝说道，“你将是我最好的儿子。”
"Hear then, O father. This very night and in this hour I will take but two hundred horse and ride across the desert. And it shall seem to all men that you know nothing of my going. On the second morning I shall be at the gates of King Lune's castle of Anvard in Archenland. They are at peace with us and unprepared and I shall take Anvard before they have bestirred themselves. Then I will ride through the pass above Anvard and down through Narnia to Cair Paravel. The High King will not be there;when I left them he was already preparing a raid against the giants on his northern border. I shall find Cair Paravel, most likely with open gates, and ride in. I shall exercise prudence and courtesy and spill as little Narnian blood as I can. And what then remains but to sit there till the Splendour Hyaline puts in, with Queen Susan on board, catch my strayed bird as she sets foot ashore, swing her into the saddle, and then, ride, ride,ride back to Anvard ?"
“听着，噢，父亲。就在今天晚上，在这几个小时里，我将带着仅仅两百人马骑行通过沙漠。这需要像是所有人都不知道我接下来要做什么一样。第二天早上，我将来到阿钦兰的安瓦德，国王伦恩的堡垒的城门口。他们现在与我们和平相处，并且没有任何戒备，我可以在他们有所行动之前，就占领安瓦德。然后我会骑行通过安瓦德上方的关卡，通过纳尼亚到达凯尔帕拉维尔。至尊王不会在那里，当我离开那里的时候，他们已经准备好迎击北方边界上的巨人了。我很可能发现凯尔帕拉维尔城门打开，然后我将骑马进入。我将审慎和礼貌地尽我所能让纳尼亚人少流一点鲜血。接下来的事情不过是在那里等待‘灿烂晶莹号’入港了，船上就载着苏珊女王，当她的脚踏入到陆地上的时候，我会立刻抓住我走失的小鸟，将她甩到马鞍上，然后骑行，骑行，骑行到安瓦德。”
"But is it not probable, O my son, " said the Tisroc, "that at the taking of the woman either King Edmund or you will lose his life ?"
“但是，可能，噢，我的儿子，”太洛帝说道，“在抢走这个女人之时，不是爱德蒙国王就是你会丢掉生命，不是吗?”
"They will be a small company," said Rabadash,"and I will order ten of my men to disarm and bind him: restraining my vehement desire for his blood so that there shall be no deadly cause of war between you and the High King."
“他们不过是一支小队伍，”罗八达说道，“而且我将会命令我手下的十个士兵解除掉他们的武装，并且将他捆绑起来，我会克制自己想要让他流血的渴望，这样在你和至尊王之间就不会有什么致命的战争原因了。”
"And how if the Splendour Hyaline is at Cair Paravel before you ?"
“如果‘灿烂晶莹’号比你先到达凯尔帕拉维尔，怎么办?”
"I do not look for that with these winds, O my father. "
“根据这些风的走向，我估计不会有那种情况，噢，我的父亲。”
"And lastly, O my resourceful son, " said the Tisroc, "you have made clear how all this might give you the barbarian woman, but not how it helps me to the over-throwing of Narnia."
“最后，噢，我足智多谋的儿子，”太洛帝说道，“你已经清楚地说明了这一切将使你得到野蛮的女人，但是没有说清楚是如何帮助我战胜纳尼亚王国。”
"O my father, can it have escaped you that though I and my horsemen will come and go through Narnia like an arrow from a bow, yet we shall have Anvard for ever ? And when you hold Anvard you sit in the very gate of Narnia, and your garrison in Anvard can be increased by little and little till it is a great host."
“噢，我的父亲，一切都逃不过您的眼睛。尽管我和我的人马，像一支箭一样在纳尼亚来回，我们不是永远地占领了安瓦德吗?当我们控制住安瓦德的时候，你就坐在了纳尼亚的城门口了，你的守卫军队可以一点点增加，直到成为伟大的主人。”
"It is spoken with understanding and foresight. But how do I draw back my arm if all this miscarries ?"
“这说得很有见地，很有先见之明。但是，如果一切都失算了，我怎么才能缩回我伸出去的手臂呢?”
"You shall say that I did it without your knowledge and against your will, and without your blessing, being constrained by the violence of my love and the impetuosity of youth."
“你可以说是我独自这样做的，在你毫不知情的情况下，违背了你的意愿，没有得到你的批准，是被我自己强烈的爱情，和青春的浮躁所逼迫的。”
"And how if the High King then demands that we send back the barbarian woman, his sister ?"
“那么如果至尊王要求我们把那个野蛮的女人，他的妹妹送回去的话，怎么办?”
“O my father, be assured that he will not. For though the fancy of a woman has rejected this marriage, the High King Peter is a man of prudence and understanding who will in no way wish to lose the high honour and advantage of being allied to our House and seeing his nephew and grand nephew on the throne of Calormen."
“噢，我的父亲，我确定他不会那样要求的。虽然一个女人的幻想已经拒绝了这场婚姻，但至尊王彼得是一个谨慎且明白事理的男人，他不会希望失去这次和我们这种王室联姻的荣耀和获得利益的机会，他还要看着他的外甥和外孙坐上卡乐门的王位。”
“He will not see that if I live for ever as is no doubt your wish,"said the Tisroc in an even drier voice than usual.
“正如你希望的那样，我会永在，他将永远看不到那天。”太洛帝用一种比平常更干巴巴的腔调说道。
"And also, O my father and O the delight of my eyes,"said the Prince, after a moment of awkward silence,.we shall write letters as if from the Queen to say that she loves me and has no desire to return to Narnia. For it is well known that women are as changeable as weathercocks. And even if they do not wholly believe the letters, they will not dare to come to Tashbaan in arms to fetch her."
“还有，噢，我的父亲，我眼中的快乐，”王子在一阵尴尬的沉默之后说道，“我们应该仿造女王写信，说她爱我，不想回到纳尼亚了。因为所有人都知道，女人像善变的风信子，随风改变方向。而且即使他们不完全相信那些信，他们也不敢武装来到塔什班城将她夺走。”
“O enlightened Vizier,"said the Tisroc,.bestow your wisdom upon us concerning this strange proposal."
“噢，明智的首相，”太洛帝说道，“关于我们这个奇怪的建议，请你用高明的智慧指点一下吧。”
“O eternal Tisroc,"answered Ahosta,.the strength of paternal affection is not unknown to me and I have often heard that sons are in the eyes of their fathers more precious than carbuncles. How then shall I dare freely to unfold to you my mind in a matter which may imperil the life of this exalted Prince ?"
“噢，太洛帝万岁，”阿霍什塔回答道，“父子情深的力量我是不知道的，我时常听说，在父亲眼睛里看到的儿子们，比红宝石还要珍贵。对于这件很可能会威胁到我们尊贵的王子生命的事情，我怎么敢放肆地自由陈述意见呢?”
“Undoubtedly you will dare,"replied the Tisroc..Because you will find that the dangers of not doing so are at least equally great.
“毫无疑问你是敢的，”太洛帝回应道，“因为你会发现如果你不这么做，也会面对同样的危险。”
“To hear is to obey,"moaned the wretched man.Know then, O most reasonable Tisroc, in the first place, that the danger of the Prince is not altogether so great as might appear. For the gods have withheld from the barbarians the light of discretion, as that their poetry is not, like ours, full of choice apophthegms and useful maxims, but is all of love and war. Therefore nothing will appear to them more noble and admirable than such a mad enterprise as this of ow !"For the Prince, at the word.mad", had kicked him again.
“我服从命令。”首相为难地呜咽道，“那么，最通情达理的太洛帝，第一，王子的危险并不会那么可能发生。因为神灵们没有赐给野蛮人谨慎的光芒，就好像他们的诗歌不像我们那样充满美妙的箴言和有用的格言，他们只有爱情和战争。因为，什么也不会像这样疯狂的冒险那么高尚，且更加令人敬佩……噢!”当王子听到“疯狂”这个词，再次踢了他一下。
"Desist,O my son," said the Tisroc. "And you, estimable Vizier, whether he desists or not, by no means allow the flow of your eloquence to be interrupted. For nothing is more suitable to persons of gravity and decorum than to endure minor inconveniences with constancy."
“停下，我的儿子，”太洛帝说道，“还有你，值得尊敬的首相，不管他是不是踢你，无论如何也不要中断你滔滔不绝的陈述。因为，那些严肃且有礼的人，以坚定不移的态度来忍受小小的不便利是再正确不过的了。”
“To hear is to obey,"said the Vizier, wriggling himself round a little so as to get his hinder parts further away from Rabadash' s toe. “Nothing, I say, will seem as pardonable, if not estimable,in their eyes as this-er-hazardous attempt, especially because it is undertaken for the love of a woman. Therefore,if the Prince by misfortune fell into their hands, they would assuredly not kill him.Nay, it may even be, that though he failed to carry off the queen,yet the sight of his great valour and of the extremity of his passion might incline her heart to him."
“我服从命令。”首相说道，他扭动着，将自己缩成更圆一点的样子，好使自己的屁股离罗八达的脚趾远一点儿。“我是说，这种危险的尝试，特别是为了得到一个女人的爱情而做的，在他们的眼睛里看来，即使是不能被尊敬的，也应该是可以被原谅的。因此，如果王子不幸地落入到他们的手中，他们肯定不会杀死他。不，甚至可能会是这样的，虽然他没能抢走女王，但是看到了他伟大的勇气和狂热的热情，女王会倾心于他。”
"That is a good point, old babbler,"said Rabadash..Very good, however it came into your ugly head."
“这是个好想法，你这饶舌的老头儿，”罗八达说道，“很好，虽然这么高明的想法进入了你那个丑陋的脑袋里。”
"The praise of my masters is the light of my eyes,"said Ahoshta..And secondly,O Tisroc,whose reign must and shall be interminable,I think that with the aid of the gods it is very likely that Anvard will fall into the Prince' s hands.And if so, we have Narnia by the throat."
“主人们的称赞就是我眼中的光明。”阿霍什塔说道，“然后，太洛帝啊，你的统治必然是没有止境的。我认为通过神灵们的帮助，安瓦德非常可能落到王子的手中。如果这样的话，我们就扼住了纳尼亚王国的喉咙。”
There was a long pause and the room became so silent that the two girls hardly dared to breathe.At last the Tisroc spoke.
突然，出现了一个长时间的停顿，房间变得那么安静，以至于两个女孩几乎不敢呼吸了。最后太洛帝终于开口。
"Go, my son," he said."And do as you have said. But expect no help nor countenance from me. I will not avenge you if you are killed and I will not deliver you if the barbarians cast you into prison. And if, either in success or failure, you shed a drop more than you need of Narnian noble blood and open war arises from it, my favour shall never fall upon you again and your next brother shall have your place in Calormen. Now go. Be swift, secret, and fortunate. May the strength of Tash the inexorable, the irresistible be in your sword and lance."
“去吧，我的儿子。”他说，“去做你刚刚说的事情。但是，别指望任何来自我的支援和帮助。如果你被杀害了，我不会替你复仇，而且如果野蛮人将你关进了监狱，我也不会去解救你。而且，不管是成功还是失败，如果你超过必需地让纳尼亚人多流了一滴鲜血，因此引起了战争，我的偏爱将永远不会再次落到你的身上。你的弟弟将会拥有你在卡乐门的地位。现在去吧，要迅速，隐秘并且祝顺利。但愿塔什神的力量坚定地，不可抗拒地附在你的剑和长矛上。”
"To hear is to obey," cried Rabadash,and after kneeling for a moment to kiss his father' s hands he rushed from the room. Greatly to the disappointment of Aravis,who was now horribly cramped,the Tisroc and Vizier remained.
“我服从命令。”罗八达大声说道，在他跪下来亲吻了一会他父亲的双手之后，他冲出了房间。阿拉维斯被恐怖束缚住了，使她感到巨大失望的是，太洛帝和首相留了下来。"
"O Vizier," said the Tisroc, "is it certain that no living soul knows of this council we three have held here tonight ?"
“噢，首相，”太洛帝说道，“你确定没有任何一个活人知道我们三个今晚在这里举行的会议吗?”
"O my master," said Ahoshta, "it is not possible that any should know. For that very reason I proposed, and you in your wisdom agreed, that we should meet here in the Old Palace where no council is ever held and none of the household has any occasion to come."
“噢，我的主人，”阿霍什塔说道，“不可能有任何人知道。出于这个原因我建议，并且由您的智慧批准，我们应该在这个以前从未开过会，宫殿里也没有任何人可以偶然到这旧宫殿里开会。”
"It is well," said the Tisroc. "If any man knew,I would see to it that he died before an hour had passed. And do you also, O prudent Vizier, forget it. I sponge away from my own heart and from yours all knowledge of the Prince' s plans. He is gone without my knowledge or my consent, I know not whither, because of his violence and the rash and disobedient disposition of youth. No man will be more astonished than you and I to hear that Anvard is in his hands."
“这很好。”太洛帝说道，“如果任何人知道了，我一定会让他在一个小时之内死去。你也一样，我亲爱的大臣，忘掉这里的一切。从我自己的心里，从你的心里，消除掉我们所知道的王子的计划。他没有得到我的同意就离开了，我也不知道他去了哪，一切都是因为年轻人的狂暴、鲁莽和不听话。听到安瓦德落到他的手里这个消息，没有人会比我和你更加感到惊讶。”
"To hear is to obey," said Ahoshta.
“我服从命令。”阿霍什塔说道。
"That is why you will never think even in your secret heart that I am the hardest hearted of fathers who thus send my first-born son on an errand so likely to be his death;pleasing as it must be to you who do not love the Prince. For I see into the bottom of your mind."
“这就是为什么，即使在你最隐秘的心里，你可能会认为我是父亲中心肠最硬的，我竟然派我的长子去完成一个几乎会结束他生命的任务。这一定让你很高兴，因为你不爱王子。我看得到你的内心深处。”
"O impeccable Tisroc," said the Vizier."In comparison with you I love neither the Prince nor my own life nor bread nor water nor the light of the sun."
“明察秋毫的太洛帝啊。”首相说道，“和您相比，我既不爱王子，也不爱我自己的生命，不爱面包，不爱水和太阳的光辉或光芒。”
"Your sentiments," said the Tisroc,"are elevated and correct. I also love none of these things in comparison with the glory and strength of my throne. If the Prince succeeds, we have Archenland, and perhaps hereafter Narnia. If he fails—I have eighteen other sons and Rabadash, after the manner of the eldest sons of kings, was beginning to be dangerous. More than five Tisrocs in Tashbaan have died before their time because their eldest sons, enlightened princes, grew tired of waiting for their throne. He had better cool his blood abroad than boil it in inaction here. And now,O excellent Vizier,the excess of my paternal anxiety inclines me to sleep. Command the musicians to my chamber. But before you lie down, call back the pardon we wrote for the third cook.I feel within me the manifest prognostics of indigestion."
“你的情操，”太洛帝说道，“是高尚且正确的。和王位的光荣和权力相比，我也不爱这些东西。如果王子成功了，我们将拥有阿钦兰的领土，而且以后还要占领纳尼亚。如果他失败了——我还有十八个儿子。罗八达呢，身为王子们中最年长的儿子，他的行为，已经开始变得危险起来了。塔什班城里有五个以上的太洛帝都早早死去，因为他们的长子，开明的王子，对王位感到急不可耐。他能在国外将自己的血液冷静下来，比起在国内这里无所事事，热血沸腾要好很多。现在，我杰出的首相，作为父亲的焦躁已让我筋疲力尽，想要睡觉了。命令乐师们到我的寝宫里。但是在你躺下之前，将我们写给第三个厨子的赦罪书追回来。我感觉我的肚子明显有些消化不良。”
"To hear is to obey,"said the Grand Vizier. He crawled backwards on all fours to the door, rose, bowed, and went out. Even then the Tisroc remained seated in silence on the divan till Aravis almost began to be afraid that he had dropped asleep. But at last with a great creaking and sighing he heaved up his enormous body, signed to the slaves to precede him with the lights, and went out. The door closed behind him, the room was once more totally dark,and the two girls could breathe freely again.
“我服从命令。”首相说道。他四肢着地，倒退着爬行到门口，站起来，鞠躬，然后退了出去。即使现在，太洛帝也仍然安静地坐在长沙发上，直到阿拉维斯担心他是不是已经深入睡眠了。但是最后，随着一阵嘎吱嘎吱的声音和一声轻叹，他抬起他巨大的身体，示意奴隶们将烛火拿到他的面前，然后走了出去。门在他的身后关了起来，房间再次变得更加漆黑了，两个女孩总算可以自由呼吸了。
